A group of U.S. senators released new data that showed OSHA performed 20% fewer inspections and issued 42% fewer fines for severe workplace violations in 2025 under the Trump administration.
In response to the findings, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers launched a new investigation into the Department of Labor’s broader plans regarding key safety regulations.
In a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Keeling, the senators wrote, "Your agency has tried to cloak your deregulatory agenda in the language of 'putting workers first,’ but the reality is that the Labor Department is prioritizing the interests of unscrupulous employers over Americans who work hard in dangerous environments to provide for their families."
The senators accused the Trump administration of proposing cuts to OSHA’s funding, which they said threatens the agency’s ability to effectively oversee more than 8 million worksites across the country. They also alleged a deregulatory agenda that includes:
- Eliminating the authority of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA), which protects coal miners from hazards like black lung disease, to require mine operates to ensure proper ventilation and prevent roof collapses in mines
- Plans to eliminate requirements for adequate lighting on construction sites
- Plans to limit OSHA’s ability to hold employers accountable for unsafe working conditions in inherently unsafe professions
- Loosening respirator requirements for workers exposed to carcinogens, lead, asbestos and formaldehyde
The lawmakers also cited an independent analysis of OSHA enforcement actions during the first nine months of the Trump administration, which found that the agency brought 35% fewer cases than the same period in previous administrations. It added that OSHA imposed $94 million in penalties, a 47% drop compared to the first nine months of the last 17 years.
"If employers know that they are unlikely to face hefty fines, they may be less likely to adhere to safety standards that keep American workers safe in their places of employment,” the senators stated.
The senators requested information on the Labor Department's actions by March 4, including answering whether OSHA directed inspectors to reduce the number of inspections, citations issued for workplace violations or reduce citations for a certain type of violation.
